Something To Remember
by V the Happy Lurker
Summary: The time has come for them to part ways, but can Lina tell that to Gourry?


Ossu, mina-san! I, V-chan, welcome you to the first SLAYERS! fic I've ever written. It takes place right after TRY, but there aren't any real spoilers in it. I would also like to say that I personally am not a supporter of the whole _Lina and Gourry Coupledom_, so this will not be the 'normal' pairing in other fics. The story just worked better this way. Oh, and I'd advise you to keep some tissue handy if you're the type to get all weepy and emotional. Legal crap: I don't own SLAYERS!, I just enjoy writing about the show. Now, with all that out of the way, I'll stop talking and let you read. I hope you all enjoy:

# SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

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The sunlight flushes warmly through the thick summer leaves. Gourry and I continued walking along the dusty road in silence. We had left Seiruun five days ago, but we would have gone sooner if Phil hadn't decided to throw a huge 'Welcome Home' party for us. Mmmmm…I can still taste those delicious shrimp rolls and veggie kabobs. 

Well, to be totally honest, we hadn't stay just for the food. (But that was definitely a good enough reason!) You see, ever since we boarded the ship back from the 'other world', Amelia had been very depressed about something. She never came out and said what was wrong, but it doesn't take a genius to figure it out. She was thinking about Zelgadiss.

The night before our departure, the ever _cheerful_ chimera excused himself and disappeared into his room. Old Zelly boy had been acting really weird ever since Dark Star's defeat, but I really didn't think anything of it at the time. We were all pretty beat after all the traveling and adventuring we had been doing, so I just assumed he was tired. Besides, it was dinnertime and I was too hungry to snoop. The morning afterwards, Zelgadiss didn't show up for breakfast. (It's not like he'd **eat**.) Amelia volunteered to go up and see if he was alright. The look on her face when she came back to the table was all I needed to see to know why Zel wasn't there for the coffee. Of course, Gourry just had to be especially dense at that moment and ask her where rock-boy was. Amelia meekly said that the room was empty when she went up there and that was all she would say about the matter. Zel must have left sometime before dawn to avoid having to face us. *_SIGH…_* I guess I should have expected something like that from him, but it still pisses me off that he didn't at least tell Amelia good-bye. I'm glad it cheered her up to find out we were staying a little while longer. I was really starting to worry about her…

And now, here we are, down to two. Just me and Gourry, on our way to Zefiela.

The day has finally come. 

I stop on a small hill overlooking my hometown. In the late afternoon light, the red tiled roofs and the stucco walls glow welcomingly in the distance. Fighting back the tears welling up in my eyes, I turn slowly to Gourry. I can feel the sharp pang of pain in my stomach as I try to think of a way to break this to him gently.

"Lina, is there something wrong?"

Taking a deep breath, I force myself to smile at him. "Tell me something Gourry; Do you remember what you said to me the very first time we met?"

He stood there for a moment, pondering the question. "Uh…nope. I can't remember." 

"Well, I do." I said with a sad little laugh. "You promised to be my protector and…"

"Oh! And then I offered to take you back home 'cuz I thought you were just a lost little girl!" Gourry smiled a proud, goof grin as he spoke. 

"Yeah," I sighed wistfully. "You're job's almost done, Mister Bodyguard."

"Huh?" A confused look crossed his face as it began to dawn on him. "What are you saying, Lina?"

"Gourry, we've been through a lot serious things together; the bandits, Shabranigdo, and now Dark Star." My lip started to tremble. "You know, there comes a time in everyone's life when you have to just take a break from it all." I had promised myself not to cry when this day came, but it was so damn hard not to! I took another breath to steady myself. "This-this is rather hard for my to say…"

"Then you don't have to say anything." Gently, he took my hand and pressed something into it. "It's just a silly little thing, but I want you to have it. Just promise not to forget about me, Lina."

"How could I?" Came the painful chuckle as I throw my arms around him. "I couldn't forget someone as goofy as you even if I tried!"

For one everlasting moment, we stood there embracing each other. Then Gourry pulled away form me and started back into the woods. 

I watched him until he had vanished in the distance. A single tear slide down my cheek, splattering in the dust as I turned and walked slowly toward home.

**~*~*~OWARIMASU~*~*~**

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****Please, tell me what you think of this. Until the next fic:

Ja-na, 

V-chan


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